Question

Keyword: Arranged marriages

How many of the articles that you find deal with Asian Americans? How many also deal with other racial and ethnic groups? Why do you think this is the case?

Answer 1

The culture and traditions of a country play an important role in the lives of its citizens in many aspects. They contribute to life events such as marriage, divorce etc.

Most of the articles related to this topic point towards arranged marriages happening more in the Asian American families. People from India, Japan and other such countries who have settled in America from generations, are still more likely to get married the arranged marriage way. They have a deep rooted culture system where a matchmaker, the potential bride and grooms' parents, or a relative bring the alliance and decide to get the couple married. In modern arranged marriages, the couple usually has the freedom to approve or disapprove the other if they feel they're not compatible, whereas in traditional marriages the couple has no say in the decision making. The concept is built on partnership and fecilitation and there is usually a typical age bracket by when people are expected to get married. It is uncommon for late marriages to happen. Their weddings reflect their culture, customs, rituals etc. and almost everything happens in a traditional manner.

With regard to Racial and Ethnic groups, they are a part of mainstream American culture which believes in love for marriage. This is due to the fact that most of these groups belong to America and have become Americanized. However, the couples select their life partner themselves but choose to uphold the wedding traditions and include customs and get married the traditional way. It is only limited to the conduction of the ceremony since the life partners are chosen by each other.

The difference here, is mostly due to the type of cultures the couples and families belong to. Most of the Asian Americans belong to collectivistic culture and so give more importance to traditions, social arrangements, group harmony, social harmony, modesty etc. Whereas the ethnic groups practise individualistic culture where the emphasis is laid on individual happiness, personal goals, self fulfilment etc, and therefore, the culture they belong to influences life events like marriage.